jackal moon
by ivywolf
Summary: Sonnen, a jackal  anima, is a member of a dueling team that is forced to fight other  anima. When she escapes and meets with Cooro and the group, will the ghosts from her past come back to haunt her?
1. unwilling accomplices

Disclaimer: I do not own +anima, but I wish I did

The walls were black, and the chains cut into the girl's wrists. She had long brown hair, braided on one side, and a large gash over her right eye. Her eyes were an odd color; storm grey rimmed with a light gold, like that of a wolf or wild dog. Holding her chains was a hooded figure with unusually thin, bony arms. Another peculiar feature of the figure's arms; they had a black, diamond shaped pattern starting at the elbow.

"Sonnen," came the rasping voice of the figure, "A good duel, there. You may have won the master some money, there." The hallway gradually became lighter, but Sonnen didn't notice. Everything was still dark grey to her.

The hooded figure stopped under the arch connecting the hallway to a larger room, containing five other children of about 16 years of age. The figure holding Sonnen's chains released them, and lightly pushed her towards a wall, where she collapsed in a heap. The other five figures waited for the figure to leave the room, and hi giggled mirthlessly.

"I'll give you some time, there" he laughed, but stopped and examined the group.

An older boy was perched upon a large slab of granite, talons and wings outstretched. 'Kazana,' thought the man, 'the hawk +anima; master's new plaything.' Next to Kazana perched Ciaze, a redheaded girl of about 14.

"Ciaze!" called the man, grinning. "Won't you spread your wings for us? Your pretty wings?" Ciaze was a macaw +anima, so had large red wings and a long feathered tail.

She glared at the man. "Ghio!" She called in a sing-song voice. Ghio winced. He liked it better when she yelled. This was far more taunting. "Bare your fangs, little snake, little traitor!"

A laugh from a small pond carried over. "You should go, now. You could get hurt." Ghio spun to face the speaker, an older girl with flowing blond hair and glistening copper koi fins falling from her wrists. 'Ghohe' thought the snake +anima.

"Crawl back to your hole, worm!" came another voice from the pond. A young boy with dark brown hair stood, hair dripping with water and algae. He appeared normal, other than his reptilian eyes.

Ghio smirked. "You are most certainly one to talk, water-snake. Shiko."

Shiko cringed. "We have nothing in common! Traitor! Murderer of your own kind!" he shouted.

"Shiko"

"Murderer!"

"Shiko"

"Traitor! Killer of-"

"Shiko! Quiet!" everyone turned toward the speaker, a boy of about 17. He had striking white hair, fringed with black. His fingers were tipped with two-inch claws that curved down dangerously. He rested on the balls of his feet, and his eyes were the pale blue orbs of a cat. Most obvious, however, was the long, snowy tail of a white tiger flicking back and forth behind him.

"Tei". The snake +anima said in shock. Tei very rarely spoke, much less yelled. But he didn't stop there. Tei pointed to Ghio. "Go"

Ghio stalked away, astonished. Tei, speaking? Rare. Yelling? Absurd. But he had just heard it. He glanced back over his shoulder, and was met be Tei's unnerving glare. Ghio shuddered and left the room.

Sonnen leaned against the wall, assessing her wounds. Her eyes again wandered to her +anima markings; vertical lines going down toward her ankle, then curving up and spiraling out of existence. This pattern was mirrored on her wrists. They formed the paws of a jackal. The jackal in her wasn't doing much for her now. Her whole body ached and stung. 'Rao will pay' she thought, 'but he is feeling this as well, probably.' She suppressed a growl at the mental image of the rival +anima.

Rao was a loudmouth lion +anima, in another king's team. Kings and other royalty had a game that they played; a demonstration of power. They captured six +anima, two of ground, bird and fish. If two members of royalty had a dispute, one would challenge the other to a duel between their teams. The owner of the winning team would be declared the winner, and the losing team was released or killed, depending on the master's feelings. Some duels involved all six members, while others required less.

Sonnen's battle was one-on-one, with Rao. She had won, however, so she was safe. She examined a long gash down her leg, going through her +anima markings. The other wounds were just bruises and smaller cuts. She decided to rest for awhile, and let her body heal itself.

As she faded away into the sleep realms, she heard an almost forgotten voice. Tei was speaking? She would have to ask him later. But for now, she was content just to sleep. She curled tighter into a ball, and took on her jackal form to heal. Her breathing slowed, and then she was asleep. Sonnen dreamed of escape.

I will try to upload soon, so please review!

Thanks…

Ivywolf


	2. to escape a king

I dreamed that I owned +anima. I woke up, and I cried because it was only a dream. I do not own +anima

"Sonnen? Sonnen? Are you awake? " Sonnen's eye snapped open, and then quickly closed again.

"Who turned on the lights?" she moaned, blinking and pulling herself into a sitting position. In front of her stood Kazana and Ciaze, both examining her wounds. Sonnen had faded out of jackal form in her sleep, but her injuries were nearly healed. She slowly stood up, despite protests from the two bird +anima, and looked around.

Shiko was moping in his pond, with Ghohe trying to comfort him. Tei… where was Tei? Kazana smiled sadly at her confusion.

"That lowlife Ghio told the master that Tei spoke, so Tei's in a duel." He looked genuinely hurt when he said this; he and Tei were friends.

Sonnen glanced at the fish +anima in the pond, then at Ciaze. "Call the others." She said, "Please."

Ciaze smirked. "Tell a parrot to yell, she yells." With that, she screeched, "Polly wanna cracker?" and stuck her tongue out at Sonnen. "Now sit back and watch the show".

"Who's Polly?"

"What was that about crackers?"

"Did that mean ol' parrot eat our crackers?"

"Dang, Ciaze, we wanted some too!"

"Kazana, did you save any for me?"

"THERE WERE NEVER ANY CRACKERS!"

"…"

"Then why are we here?"

Then it was Sonnen's turn to smirk.

"'Cause Ciaze wanted to show off"

Shiko and Ghohe directed full force death glares at Ciaze.

"Then why did she have to get our hopes up?" moaned Shiko. "I haven't had a cracker since I came to this stupid death trap!"

"Umm" Kazana states cautiously, "I think Sonnen had something to say"

"…"

Ciaze jabbed Sonnen in the ribs with her elbow.

"Oww! Fine!" she yelled, taking a minute to calm down and speak properly. "I realized yesterday that, well, this place is killing us. I came in bleeding, and any normal +anima would have thought, 'Oh my gosh, what the heck happened? Is she alright?' but I am nearly positive all that you thought was, 'Who did this? They're going to pay in the next duel!'"

She paused for a moment to regain her composure.

"It's because you're used to it. I would have thought the same thing, had it been one of you who walked through the door." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "We need to escape from this place, and we need to do it soon. If we don't, one of us will end up dead, and we'll think it's normal. I do not want anyone dying. We need an escape plan. Any ideas?"

Ghohe was pondering, eyes closed. Shiko was biting his lip, eyes focused on a point far, far away. Kazana smiled.

"Got it!"

Everyone turned toward the slyly grinning hawk +anima.

"But we need to get Ghio."

.

.

.

….

Thanks for reading! I want at least one review before I post the next chapter. If anyone is reading, that is. So please, I REALLY want to post the next chapter soon!

Thanks,

Ivywolf


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